Weipa to Boyd Point

Wednesday 20^th July: a quick trip to the boat ramp for water was our first opportunity to see a bauxite ship up close. As we crossed its path, it’s massive size and speed was apparent though still over a km from us. I am grateful the dinghy engine did not stop mid channel. A loaded ship leaves daily, with 2 usually on the wharve at any one time. They arrive empty, sitting high above the water line and leave full, like an iceberg mainly submerged. Their movement within the river has Tony enthrawed. Tugboats assist the pilot in manoeuvring.

Rob dropped in for morning tea and to inspect our water desalinator. He and Aya are still setting their yacht up but with the limited space they only have storage for about 40 litres of water and are living on about 5 litres of fresh water a day – washing occurs in salt water and cooking currently on the shore!

Today is the 11^th anniversary of Tony’s mother’s death.

Ship loading terminal at Weipa Port

Thursday 21^st July: meet Karen, the Sexual Health nurse in Weipa, and her partner Patrick. Karen has worked in many remote locations over the Cape, and Rob is an engineer who has also worked in PNG and Sudan.

The boat ramp is often very busy with fisher folk. We stand out due to the bright yellow raincoats we wear (it is a wet ride to and from Robert’s Creek) and the fact we carry no fishing gear.

Red bauxite beach at Weipa

Friday 22^{nd July}: time to do the tax return. A friend reminded us that they are experiencing a very cold, wet, foggy winter down south. Meanwhile we have 31’C, no humidity and no rain – what I consider a perfect winter! The wind has also dropped and it is very calm.

Saturday 23^rd July: after my comment yesterday it did rain last night but just enough to wash the salt off Nysa.

With the calmer weather we were able to enjoy a walk along the foreshore along from the boat ramp and then took the dinghy past the wharves where bauxite rock is loaded into the ships. From there we crossed the river to where a new jetty is planned. This will facilitate the transfer of staff across to the proposed new mine south, close to the gulf coastline. Finished by exploring further down Robert’s Creek where we are anchored, which is longer than I expected, and full of bird life. Overall 5 crocodiles were seen today.

Low tide at the mouth of the Embley River, Weipa

Sunday 24^th July: One reason why Tony has been carting so much water has been his desire to give Nysa a wash – we have accumulated a lot of dirt on the deck while travelling but at least for today she is clean again.   One negative of the Gulf and Weipa is the amount of dust and smoke in the air that makes also keeping the inside surfaces dirt free a daily battle and affects my lungs as well.

Late afternoon we enjoyed a walk along the foreshore on the other side of the boat ramp and then were joined by Sarah and Byron, who brought dinner to share while we watched a brilliant red and gold sunset – something benefits from the smoke! Meet a few of their friends enjoying sunset drinks - one was a ex-policeman from Lockhart River who told us we weren't the first yacht to almost come to grief on the rocks off the ramp there.

Sunset dinner and drinks at Weipa

We really like the landscape of Weipa but tomorrow we leave and start heading south. After speaking to a number of people, Tony is keen to see this area.

Monday 25^th July: frigate birds spiralling in the thermals and booby birds roosting on the channel lights farewelled us. The seas were messy but it was a pleasant sail past white beaches and red bauxite cliffs. Tony is pleased with the new rigging of the sails. Arrived at Boyd Point, 30kms south of Weipa, mid afternoon. The new mine will be near here and wharves will be built from where ships will remove the bauxite. 1 large flat barge and an accommodation barge are here with a smaller landing barge, and vehicles can be seen on the cliff – presumably work has begun on preparing the site. A low-level fire is scrambling through the coastal bush - ? accidental or part of the clearing.

After a short beach walk north we watched another magnificent sunset and experienced swell for the first time in many weeks – the benefit of rivers and creeks is calm water. However here we have no insects, which is a definite plus of open water!

Sunset at Boyd Bay

Tuesday 26^th July: today is the 6^th anniversary of my brother’s death, which was the catalyst for the change in our recreational aspirations when I inherited his yacht – mmm!

Enjoyed a walk along the beach south around the Point and for a short distance in the bush, which is healthy and full of birdsong. No obvious signs of construction though a metal staircase has been built from the beach to a bush track, which facilitates access from where the barge lands.

Watched sharks chasing fish in the shallows – looking out across the water, the gulf is immense and definitely gives the impression of being somewhere different.

Bushfire at Boyd Bay

Wednesday 27^th July: in 3 hours we walked a total of 8.5kms along the beach north and back at low tide. The sand was pockmarked with the tracks of wild pigs. Yesterday and today we found turtle nests they had scavenged, with shell remnants. Though vegetarian I do support the culling of these pigs. Much of the beach was fringed with rock reefs not mentioned on the maps/books. The rocks were weathered into formations, often capped with oysters – in different areas they appeared like a field of gigantic mushrooms, the ruins of an ancient city and a cemetery of tombstones. Other sections had weed so thick it had compacted to look like rock until a prod indicated its spongy texture. The bauxite cliffs glowed in the sunlight.

Bauxite cliffs at Boyd Bay

A towboat arrived with a work platform from Weipa – it was taken around the corner south, so hopefully that means the new wharve won’t actually be in this bay.

During the afternoon a fire became evident in the bush we had walked yesterday. It strengthened during the next few hours, the wind covering our clean boat with ash. Ash even settled in my glass of wine! Guys from the barge had gone over to the area and we can see the lights of their vehicles in the smoke - ? monitoring or managing.

Emails today from a work colleague alerted me to new regulations for nurses in Pap smear provision, which I am unable to meet due to leave. Nor do I agree with these regulations so am feeling sad, annoyed and worried. I feel everything I have worked so hard to achieve experience wise in nursing is being taken away.

Chris admiring the view at Boyd Bay

Thursday 28^th July: the fire on the shore cliffs appears to have burnt itself out, or is now further away.

Since travelling I have been experiencing increasing nighttime sciatica, which Tony blames on the bed’s foam mattress (I miss my regular massages). While in Weipa we ordered a new spring mattress but delivery was delayed by the Cairns Show holiday so we left, only to find out it arrived in Weipa the next day. Byron thinks he may be able to deliver it to us in his boat on Saturday, so we will sit and wait.

Another fire inland south is obvious and ash continues to float our way. While watching the resultant fiery sunset we glimpsed our first dugong in the Gulf.

Unusual rocky reef in Boyd Bay

Friday 29^th July: Late morning we walked along another section of beach and through the bush burnt on Wednesday - only the undergrowth of long grass appeared to have been burnt.

A long stretch of the beach was covered in masses of weed dumped by last night’s high tide and swell. Scattered throughout were sea slugs, looking like snails without shells, which I have never seen before. One was the size of my hand. Also known as sea hares, they are usually found on the algae upon which they feed. Unfortunately most appeared dead but a few were moving where the weed was still wet. Tide exposed sand had a number of nice shells inhabited by hermit crabs – though I find them delightful, I would have liked the murex to have been uninhabited!

Sea slug on beach at Boyd Bay

The landing barge was also stranded on the shore by the out-going low tide and we meet Rueben the cook as he waited with others for the water to float their vessel. The new wharf will be built further south and will service ships larger than those that visit Weipa. He explained the purpose of the large motor catamaran we have seen on a number of occasions – ‘Sharp Shooter’ is responsible for monitoring Indonesian fishing vessels and divers dive on the reefs to remove their tangled nets.

Interestedly we have seen no crocodiles here but plenty of large fish around the boat.
We plan to travel further south tomorrow.

Coast to the north of Boyd Bay